HOUSTON – Nine Houston area state representatives have written a letter to the Speaker of the Texas House requesting a public hearing on allegations that Houston ISD violated state law by having unaccredited teachers in the classroom.
The letter was signed by Rep. Christina Morales, Rep. Ann Johnson, Rep. Jarvis Johnson, Rep. Penny Morales Shaw, Rep. Mary Ann Perez, Rep. Jon Rosenthal, Rep. Shawn Thierry, Rep. Hubert Vo, and Rep. Gene Wu.
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“There are reports of unaccredited teachers in HISD classrooms with students today. We have also been informed that plans have been shared with teachers and administration to address the continuing exit of teachers by hiring current community college students as apprentices and additional learning coaches,” the representatives allege in the letter. “Though Texas law and TEA rules clearly state that teachers must earn a bachelor’s degree and receive the appropriate licensure, HISD has internally adopted procedures to circumvent this requirement by assigning accredited teachers as the teacher of record for more than one classroom.”
The letter also goes into other concerns the representatives says they have heard, such as at-risk students not receiving services and support they have a legal right to receive.
The representatives are requesting a public hearing by the House Committee on Public Education to address the potential alleged violations.
You can read the letter here.